Negotiating Motherhood, Mid-Career, Mid-Life, and the Mid-West

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Summer “recipes”

#ReverbBroads prompt from June 6
Share a recipe or meal that is a summertime favorite. (Bonus: Pick someone else’s recipe or meal and make it, then blog about your results later on this month).Amy

I don’t cook. I can. I know how. I kept myself alive for quite some time! Go me! I just don’t enjoy it. I am the baker in our house. Need a special occasion plate of brownies, chocolate chip cookie bars, or pineapple stuffing? I’m your girl. In our house, my husband is the chef. He plans all meals, does all the grocery shopping, and then executes. I clean up after. And, we both think that we got the best part of the deal!

I am sharing three of our family’s favorite snacks. Caveat: We have virtually no white flour, sugar, or processed foods in our house. We eat very simple things (organic and local wherever possible and affordable) and have one sugary treat a week. Happy “cooking!”

Real popcorn– Buy jar of whole kernels and some popcorn cooking oil. We use generic equivalent of Redenbacher’s. Heat 1/4 cup oil in saucepan & place one kernel inside. Cover partially. When kernel pops, put more kernels in pan, covering bottom. Cover pan. Move pan vigorously over heat to avoid burning kernels and to make sure all of them pop.We use a pan that has a clear lid so you can see the popcorn going. When done popping, coat popcorn with coarse sea salt. Sea salt tastes way better than regular table salt. Best enjoyed with beer! Our summer favorite is Oberon by Bells’ Brewery. (Pre-packaged microwave popcorn is full of chemicals.)

Fire-pit roasted apples– We have no grass in our backyard, so it’s the perfect spot for a home-made fire-pit! Need 4 large apples. We use organic Granny Smith or Gala apples. Core the apple. Stuff core with butter, cinnamon, and organic agave nectar (low glycemic index sugar substitute). Wrap tightly with non-stick aluminum foil. Place directly in fire-pit. Cook for approximately 15 minutes, turning often. Note: Granny Smiths take longer & need to be turned frequently. Remove from fire. Let sit for a few minutes. Unwrap apple and then place in bowl. It’s apple pie without the sugar and the crust! For real foodies: Serve with vanilla ice cream!

This is the agave nectar that we use. This bottle lasts our family of 4 about 4 weeks. A little goes a LONG way.

Yogurt Parfaits– Plain, non-fat yogurt, Smucker’s spreadable fruit (way less sugar than regular jelly and tastes better!), fresh fruit slices, and granola. Mix the yogurt with a little agave nectar. You can also add vanilla and/or cinnamon to taste. Layer a glass with yogurt, then about 2 tablespoons of spreadable fruit, sliced fruit (strawberries, bananas, and raspberries work great), and granola. Layer until glass is about 3/4 full. End with granola. Garnish with a strawberry and sprig of mint. (Yogurt, while it has some good calcium, is also full of processed sugar. Read the label. Some yogurt has as many grams of sugar as a candy bar! Yikes!)